Home
by Jenn11
Summary: Shalimar comes home, to Brennan. They talk about home and then . . . . . This time it's Shalimar's turn to tell Brennan not to forget where home is as he leaves Sanctuary in the S3 opener.
1. Default Chapter

A/N This story begins a few hours after the ending of the episode "Reality Check." Very Bren/Shal piece (as PeTiTeCaT requested). Please review.  
  
Brennan sat in the Rec room staring at he TV but not seeing it. Shailmar was out hunting. Part of him wanted to be out there with her, watching her back, making sure she was OK. Making sure she'd come home, come back to him. Part of him was proud she didn't need anyone to watch her back, that she was such a strong person and skilled fighter. He knew that if he followed her she would sense him and be angry at him, thinking he didn't trust her. He almost thought it would be worth it, since she was beautiful when she got angry, a cliche, but true, in his opinion. The only problem was that he knew she'd also feel hurt, and he'd never purposely hurt her, so he waited. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard her walking out in the hall.  
  
Shalimar sensed Brennan in the Rec room and walked in. She said nothing as she walked to the couch and dropped her coat. She then walked over to him and sat down in his lap, needing the physical contact. In his arms there was a comfort that existed nowhere else, that no one else could ever provide to her. He had sensed her intention and turned off the TV and moved slightly so they could sit comfortably. He quickly tamped down the desire that flared at having her in such an intimate position.  
  
"Honey, I'm home," she announced in a half teasing, half serious tone.  
  
Brennan smiled then leaned forward to kiss he gently on the lips. "Welcome home."  
  
"I didn't hunt. Not really. I kept getting distracted and thinking."  
  
Brennan raised his eyebrows in question.  
  
"About home. Where it is. What it is. *You* are home."  
  
Brennan wanted to reply but was speechless.  
  
Shalimar put a finger to his lips. "Please let me finish. I know you meant Sanctuary when you told me not to forget where home is. And for a long time this has been my home. I found a father here, then a brother, then a sister and you. I'm part of a family. Home is where you feel safe, loved, wanted, and accepted. I lost that, as a child, when I started showing my mutant abilities. I think my parents still may have loved me, but they no longer wanted or accepted me. I didn't have a home anymore, until I found a new one here. But you, you are my hearts home. When I'm in your arms, that's how I feel, like I'm home. I feel safe, like you'll protect me."  
  
Brennan smiled slightly and nodded once in agreement. He would protect her with his own life, if it ever came to that.  
  
"I also know that you accept me. You've never asked me to be someone I'm not, or not to be who I am. I know you don't like me to go out hunting on my own, but you accept that it's something I need to do, that it's part of who I am, so you let me. That means a lot to me. Thank you. You told me not to forget where home is. I couldn't, because to do that I've have to forget you, and that could never happen."  
  
Seeing she was done talking Brennan spoke. "You left off two things. Being wanted and being loved. I hope you do know that I want you, and that I love you. I want you physically, emotionally. permanently, because I love you."  
  
"I. . . felt it, but neither of us has ever said anything. I guess it's only fair to tell you that I love and want you as well. I have for a while now, I just couldn't admit it to myself.." She leaned in to kiss him deeply before pulling back to ask, "So, where do we go from here?"  
  
"Long term, I'm not sure. But for tonight, we could stay here, talk, take things slowly, or we could go to your room or my room."  
  
"I've never been one to take anything slowly. Which room would you rather?"  
  
"To be honest, I like the idea of having you in my bed. But if being in your room would make you more comfortable, that's what I want."  
  
His concern about her feeling comfortable, and putting it above his own desires, reminded her yet again why she loved him so much. "I think I like the idea of being in your bed." Shailmar told him as she stood up. She picked up her coat and tossed it into her room as they walked past it to Brennan's.  
  
Emma was still awake in her room. She sensed the presence of her two friends she knew Shalimar was back. She knew her friend had been out hunting the night lately and had worried. Sensing that Brennan was with her she figured she might not need to worry anymore. She smiled to herself at the intense emotions she felt coming from them. Hearing them walk past Shalimar's room and into Brennan's further down she realized they must have finally admitted to each other how they felt. Thinking that she'd now won the bet she had with Jesse she rolled over and went to sleep with a smile on her lips.  
  
Brennan made sure to lock his door behind them, not wanting to be interrupted, or walked in on in the morning. Shalimar understood his motives and was touched at his thoughtfulness. To reward him she moved back into his arms and gave him an open mouthed kiss. His tongue slipped into her mouth in imitation of the act that they were building to. She moaned in pleasure as they fell back on the bed. She loved feeling the weight of his body on hers. Soon neither was thinking rationally and hours later they feel asleep in each others arms.  
  
The next morning Shalimar was overcome with De ja vue as she woke up in Brennan's arms. She quickly looked around to reassure herself this was his room in Sanctuary not the fake room that Ivanov had been planted in her mind in the Embassy. Her movement woke Brennnan.  
  
"Shal?" "This is real? Right?"  
  
The uncertian note in her voice had Brennan concerned and he wrapped his arms around her. "It sure feels real to me. What's wrong?"  
  
"When that psycho, Ivanov, took me in the Embassy? He thought we were married, remember?"  
  
"Yeah, that was our cover. I loved it, it was a fantasy come to life. What's that have to do with now?" He asked her, confused.  
  
"Well, when I woke up we were in bed together. It was almost like this. But "you" thought we'd been married for two years and then started asking me questions. Now I know that was Ivanov creating your image in my head so he could question me. Anyway, when I woke up just now it was serious de ja vue to be waking up in bed with you. I just needed to know it's real this time."  
  
Curious and not a little scared, Brennan couldn't keep himself from asking, "did . . .anything happen?"  
  
Salimar shook her head, and tried to reassure him. "No. I could . . . feel that something was wrong." She saw the hurt flash through his eyes. "Bren, waking up in your arms isn't what felt wrong. For the first few seconds I thought I was dreaming, or better yet, that it was my dream come true, but the room was one I'd never seen before and I knew we weren't really married; that there was no way I could have forgotten two years of marriage with you. And the idea of being like that with someone who looked like you, but wasn't you. . ."  
  
Reassured Brennan pulled her into a kiss, wanting to reassure her that this was real. Before things could go further they were interrupted by Adam's voice in there COM rings asking everyone to come to the Lab.  
  
"OK. Now I know this is real." Shalimar groaned as she reluctantly stood and started to gather her clothes. "Only Adam could have such lousy timing."  
  
"Why don't you just shower here, with me?" Brennan asked in a HIGHLY suggestive tone.  
  
"Because we're expected in the lab, soon." Shalimar retorted as se pulled on her clothes. With a last kiss she hurried out the door.  
  
The End . . . .For now. I'm planning a sequel as soon as the new season begins and we see what happens with Shailmar's dad. If there's interest I'll write in a chapter what happened during the night and up the rating accordingly. Let me know if anyone is interested. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here is the second chapter I promised. It came to me last night. This takes place in the Season 3 opener. As Brennan is leaving to go to the bar he stops by his room for a coat or something and Shalimar catches p to him just before he walks out of Sanctuary.  
  
Brennan stopped as Shalimar came into the hallway. It crossed his mind that they were in the same place they had been weeks ago when she'd been leaving to "hunt". But their positions were now reversed.  
  
"Shalimar. . . "  
  
"I'm not going to try and convince you to stay. You understood when I needed to hunt, and I understand that you need to go for a while. I just wanted to tell you the same thing you told me. Don't forget where home is. This *is* still your home."  
  
Brennan's eyes softened and he walked toward her. "No, Shal, this place isn't my home. You are." He pulled her into an intense kiss. After a few minutes they broke slightly apart.  
  
"Be careful. I couldn't stand to lose you. Not ever, but especially not now. I don't think I could survive losing you right after losing Adam and Emma."  
  
"You aren't going to lose me. I may not come back to. . . this life, but I will come back to you, for you. I promise." He sealed the promise with another kiss then left.  
  
X X X X X X X X X  
  
Shalimar walked into Brennan's room. "It's almost time," she reminded him. Referring to the plan to have a memorial for Adam and Emma out on the mountain.  
  
"Yeah. There's something you should know."  
  
Shalimar sat on the edge of his bed. "I'm listening."  
  
"You saved me."  
  
What are you talking about?" asked Shalimar, not understanding.  
  
"When they were torturing me and it got bad I'd think of you. I'd remember my promise to come back to you. It gave me strength. Helped me fight. I knew I had to keep that promise. Eckart said I might not have a mind left when that lady was done with me. But I held on to my love for you, and I think that's what helped me hold on to my mind. I know that sounds crazy, but. . . "  
  
"It sounds sweet. I'm glad if I could help. And I'm REALLY, REALLY glad you kept your promise to come home to me."  
  
"So am I." He said and held out a hand to her. As she stood up she leaned into him and they kissed. It was not a passionate kiss. It was a reassuring kiss. A way for them both to reassure themselves that they were still together, and that they were home. Afterwards they stood holding each other for several minutes until they heard Jesse's foot steps approaching.  
  
THE END 


End file.
